The use of organic semiconductor devices and organic circuits has become more widespread in an attempt to provide very low cost circuits to meet various applications and systems. The organic semiconductor technologies are expected to provide novel features, substrates and manufacturing technologies not currently possible with traditional, inorganic semiconductors. The organic semiconductor devices themselves are carbon-based materials exhibiting semiconducting properties. The materials are chemically synthesized as polymers or as small molecules and the variations of different materials are literally infinite. The organic semiconductors and devices can be used for similar applications as inorganic semiconductors and devices, particularly in the field of electronics and opto-electronics. Although the applications may be similar, the “physics” or properties that organic and inorganic semiconductors exhibit are very much different. To illustrate, silicon (Si) is one type of an inorganic semiconductor that cannot, for example, in its present form, be used as an emitting material; that is, it cannot be used in light emitting diodes (LEDs). Additionally, the processing of organic semiconductors is very different from that of the inorganic semiconductors. The polymeric materials are usually solution processed, that is, for example, by spin casting or ink-jet printing and the deposition of the material is relatively straightforward on practically any type of substrate, whether it be rigid or flexible. In comparison, the small molecular compounds are usually deposited by vacuum processing techniques and may also be applied to basically any substrate, whether it be rigid or flexible. Although holding great promise as a technology, organic semiconductor devices and systems are currently limited to relatively low production quantities due to manufacturing difficulties and techniques. In addition, currently available organic semiconductor devices and systems are relatively higher in cost than their counterpart silicon devices, which are manufactured in high volume.
In order to expand the number and types of applications using organic semiconductor devices and organic circuits, providing such applications must become more cost effective and the organic semiconductor devices, organic circuits and systems must be produced in higher volumes to achieve economies of scale and to provide sufficient quantities for use in widespread applications.
There is also a demand to provide greater integration of devices and features in complex integrated systems. One such area is that of “smart clothing,” in which the organic semiconductor devices and circuits would be carried by or in the fabric of the clothing. The currently used technology in “smart clothing” is traditional and integrates devices such as heart rate monitors, motion and temperature sensors, humidity sensors, audio and optical devices, communication devices and the like to achieve a desired functionality. The use of traditional technology to implement such “smart clothing” is not entirely satisfactory due to the weight and cost of the systems, as well as the complexity of implementing such a system.
It is desirable, therefore, to overcome the problems, drawbacks and limitations in manufacturing organic semiconductor devices and organic circuits and systems by utilizing reel-to-reel processing techniques and apparatus to provide a simple means for mass manufacturing of organic semiconductor devices and organic circuits and systems on substrate material.